


"Can I Keep You?"

by AXEe



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21801055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe
Summary: Let me know what you thought :=)
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 22
Kudos: 116





	"Can I Keep You?"

******

The club was smoky, hazy, no doubt caused by various unhealthy substances. The fam had gone there at Ryan's insistence, and while he and Yaz seemed to be having a grand old time dancing and drinking, The Doctor was content to stay by the bar with Graham, both of them sipping their drinks and watching the two kids enjoy themselves when Graham suddenly gave The Doctor a nudge.

"Oi, Doc," he called over the pulsing beat of the club's sound system "don't want to alarm you, but there's a woman down there who's been staring at you for the past few minutes"

Turning to where he indicated, The Doctor felt her hearts suddenly seize in her chest as she took in the sight of Rose Tyler seated a few rows down the bar, nursing her own drink.

Taking a slow, steadying breath, The Doctor tried to examine the situation rationally (never an easy task where Rose was concerned). The blue leather jacket that she had last seen Rose wearing was gone, replaced with a sleeveless black sequined top and matching skirt. Her hair had been neatly tied back in a simple ponytail and she had a bright red lipstick.

But none of that made _sense_ , they were on Earth in 2019, Rose should not be here at all. Unless it was a past version of Rose? But no, she couldn't sense the presence of one of her past selves, which meant that, somehow, someway, this was Rose.

As if in a trance, ignorant to Graham's questions, The Doctor found herself standing up and slowly pushing her way through the crowd to where Rose sat. Coming to a stop by her seat, The Doctor felt her voice suddenly leave her and could only wordlessly offer a hand.

Smirking up at her, eyes twinkling, Rose took the offered hand and allowed herself to be pulled out onto the dancefloor, smirk widening into a knowing smile as they swayed and moved to the beat, bodies flush against one another, dancing as if they had been doing it together for centuries, matching each other's steps perfectly.

Burying her face into Rose's shoulder, The Doctor breathed in the familiar scent of Time, it clung to Rose, permeating her entire body, curling off her form like smoke, drawing The Doctor in like a moth to a flame as the song ended and the other dancers began to move off to rest and recharge.

Suddenly painfully aware of how close she was to Rose, The Doctor pulled back, holding her at arm's length, noticing how the knowing smile had yet to leave Rose's face as her eyes twinkled again, briefly swirling with glimmers of gold.

Jerking away, The Doctor sprinted away from her, racing across the largely-empty dancefloor out the back and across the street to where the TARDIS waited, but this time the doors to the blue box remained shut, refusing to open for her even when she tried her key.

Sagging, she slumped against the box, defeated as a set of achingly familiar footfalls softly approached.

"You can't be here" she murmured against the TARDIS' wood paneling.

"But I am," Rose replied softly, a gentle hand suddenly coming up to comb through The Doctor's hair "I like the new body" Rose remarked.

"Yeah?" The Doctor asked, chancing a look up at the immortal Goddess before her "does it suit me?"

"It does, yeah" Rose nodded, chuckling.

Finally lifting her head off the TARDIS, The Doctor turned to face Rose, reaching up with a trembling hand, she tenderly cupped Rose's cheek, smiling as the other woman leaned into her touch without complaint or issue.

" _Oh...Rose,_ " The Doctor breathed " _can I keep you?_ " she pleaded.

Rose grinned at her, that familiar wide ear-splitting grin that only she had.

"Forever" she nodded.

Grinning back in kind, The Doctor looked up at the quiet _click_ of the TARDIS door's unlocking and opening. Still refusing to take her hand from Rose's cheek, she wound her other arm around Rose's waist, pulling her close as they stepped into the box, the doors quieting shutting behind them.

There would be questions to answer (there always was) but for now it was just the two of them, in the TARDIS.

Just as it should be...

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought :=)


End file.
